(map) Sant'Agata dei Goti
Stella means star.
Stella Ricci is the premier baker and chocolatier of the Sannio and a very entertaining woman. I had the opportunity to watch her give a fascinating lecture/demonstration on the making of Babà and Sfogliatelle, two of the many pastries that are now legendary in Campania.
Babà are Campania’s version of cupcakes. Made with flour, yeast, eggs, sugar and LOTS of butter, these mini cakes look like little upside-down chef’s hats. The dough is whisked energetically for almost half an hour, and is turned out only after it makes a slapping sound in the beater.
Then comes the interesting part. The extra kneading of the dough is performed by taking a handful of the mixture and throwing it – much like a yo-yo or paddle ball – into the air and catching it again. After this motion is repeated a few times it is then spezzato, or broken off, just like mozzarella. The dough is pinched through the top of the hand and dropped into little individual baking tins. After cooking and cooling, the babà is soaked in a syrupy mixture of hot water, sugar and rum, then squeezed dry like a sponge. This is how it is sold, but once home it is doused with additional rum before serving.
The dish originated in Lemberg in the 1600’s, when it was known as kugelhopf. The story goes that the deposed king of Poland Stanislas Leszczynska, tasted the dessert while exiled in France. He found the cake dry and threw it off his plate in disgust where it landed in a puddle of rum that was on the table. He watched as the cake soaked up the liquor and decided to taste it again. He was so delighted with the result that he named it after his favorite story-book hero, Ali Baba, and it eventually became know simply as babà .
-- Contributed by Barbara Goldfield (see bio), owner of "Savour The Sannio", www.savourthesannio.com, a travel consultancy for central and southern Italy.
May 21st, 2010 at 11:04 am
Very interesting article but would it be possible to see her video making the items being made especially the sfogliatelle ? I’ve wanted to try making that wonderful layered pastry treat for years.
Nancy
May 21st, 2010 at 11:12 am
Thank you! I hadn’t a clue how Baba’ were made even after 5 years living in Naples. Since I don’t like the taste of rum, I do wish there were a version with something like brandy… sfogliatelle are my thing here.
May 21st, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Barbara Goldfield’s brilliant and delightful description of the process of making Baba’s was fascinating to read. Thanks for the history lesson that accompanied it, the beautiful articulation of how to make it, and the seductive way of describing the process of making babas that I could almost taste the baba melting in my mouth. I have a few memories of eating babas as a child.
I loved the taste of the cake but didn’t like the rum. You can tell I still needed time to develop a more ‘mature’ taste.
Thanks Barbara, this was a delightful read. John B
May 21st, 2010 at 1:25 pm
To my Family, they are the best pastry that we buy for jist-about every celebration and we don,t mind the long drive to the Chicago West s9ide to buy them at the Ferrara bakery(Owned by a Neapolitan Family)who provide the original recipe for baba’ and sfogliatelle,much to our delight.
May 21st, 2010 at 2:58 pm
We, too, loved them, while visiting Napoli, the homeland of my grandmother. The native-born Napolitana amica of my daughter, with whom my daughter was living and studying while in Italy, showed us around her city. Her explanation of the “history” of the two delicacies included the widespread opinion that they resembled the male and female anatomical reproductive parts! I leave it to you to figure out which is which.
May 21st, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Fascinating details on one of my favorite desserts. Can’t wait to hear about sfogliatelle. We buy them both at Court Pastry (a Neapolitan landmark) in Brooklyn. Grazie.
May 21st, 2010 at 5:44 pm
For years I heard from my Neapolitan-American friends about the glory of sfogliatelle and baba’, then I tried both the pastries (here in the States) and the conclusion was that they were OK, sort of good, but nothing to sing about. Then I lived in Napoli for a while, had both the pastries on their home turf very, very often-too often–and the rest is history… except for the weight I gained!!!!! Thank you for the wonderful “sweet” article….
May 21st, 2010 at 6:16 pm
For many years, my Aunt Dolores who was from Naples always had the (Baba) when we went visiting her. I never knew what they were until now. I am so glad that you sent us this article. I hope that we will see the sfogliatelle being made too!!!
In Bob Tie’s note, I am originally from Brooklyn,and now live on Long Island. Can you tell me where is (Court Pastry)located in Brooklyn? I would totally enjoy going there.
Thanks for the great pictures and article.
Ciao Ciao,
Claudia
May 22nd, 2010 at 1:31 am
My cousins near Naples served me Babas soaked in Limoncello instead of rum and this is how I make them at home in Seattle!
May 22nd, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Dear Denise Blackman;
…Babas soaked in Limoncello!!! Well, there’s goes my diet!!! One just has to hear of the combination to be seduced into the “must try” mode. I’m doing a catering tomorrow and might include the Limoncello soaked idea, but knowing my weakness I probably will devour the majority of the little soaked breads before presenting them. Thank you for bringing up a new twist on the recipe.
May 23rd, 2010 at 1:24 am
Denise Blackman,
Babas soaked in Limoncello sounds like pure sin. When we are in Italy we will definitely give it a go. I have loved the responses to Barbara’s article on Baba’s and sfogliatelle. John B
May 25th, 2010 at 1:47 am
Gian and John- I am on vacation for a few weeks but when I get home I will post the recipe I have-super easy! I make my own Limoncello-we go thru so much it is much more cost effective. Limoncello in Italina icing on Angel food cake is amazing too!
May 25th, 2010 at 2:50 am
Dear Denise;
I await the the recipe with great anticipation!!!… A thousand blessings on your house!!!. Thank you, thank you! I’ve tried making Limoncello from cookbooks a couple times without success, always I’ve found triumph from a person who makes a product and knows what they are doing. Please enjoy your vacation and, again, (smile) grazie!!!
May 25th, 2010 at 4:16 am
Then I will post the recipes for Babas and Limoncelllo!
June 8th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
As promised…
Limoncello-i cannot get pure grain alcohol so use vodka instead, I think it is better.
Zest or microplane the peel from 12 med lemons and 1 lime making sure not to get any white plith. Add peel to a fifth of 100 proof decent vodka. Let set 2-4 weeks till vodka is bright yellow and then drain out rind. Filter with a coffee filter to make sure all rind is out. Make simple syrup with 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar-let cool. Mix lemon vodka, simple syrup and a fifth of 80 proof vodka. I let it sit for 1 month after this-the longer the smoother. Store in freezer after adding sugar and serve ice cold!
June 8th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Babas con Limoncello
Disolve 2 t. dry yeast in 2 T. warm water. Let sit till bubbly. Put
2 1/4 c flour, pinch of salt and 2 T. sugar in food processor, run a few secs to blend. Mix 4 beaten eggs with dissolved yeast. With processor running add liquid into flour and run for 20 seconds until soft dough gathers on blade and sides of bown are clean. Drop in 1/4 lb softened butter and process 20-30 secs till incorporated. Turn out the soft dough and knead by hand to form a smooth round and drop into a lightly buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 min-it does not need to double.
Butter Baba molds or cupcake tins or I use yorkshire pudding molds (the ones I use make 6 large babas). Deflate dough and cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a round and place in mold. Molds should be 2/3 full-adjust amount of dough according to pan size. Let babas expand to fill the molds, about 30 min or more.
Bake babas in a 400 degree oven 15-20 min or until dark gold on top. Turn out of pans and cool.
Syrup-bring 3 cups water, 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 3 cups sugar to a full boil; add 1 cup limoncello and boil for 10 min. Turn off heat and immediatley push as many babas as will fit into syrup weighing with plate to keep them submerged. When they have soaked up enoough syrup to expand (10 or so minutes) remove and drain of wire rack set over dish.If you have more babas, boid syrup again and submerge another batch.
Serve within a short time or set them in a shallow layer of syrup to stay moist. To serve slice in half and spoon with whipped cream drizzled with some warm syrup! Enjoy!